UEFA's Euro 2020 plan lauded in cash-strapped continent

LONDON (Reuters) - UEFA’s decision to host the 2020 European Championship across the continent rather than in one or two host nations has been greeted with enthusiasm as countries battle the crippling financial crisis.

European soccer’s governing body announced the move on Thursday, saying it would allow smaller countries a slice of the action as they would not be able to stage an unwieldy, 24-team tournament on their own.

The event is being increased from 16 to 24 teams for the 2016 edition in France and UEFA said the format would help to ease the burden on host nations, although it is a one-off move to celebrate the tournament’s 60th anniversary.

European Club Association boss and Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was upbeat about the move given the dire effects of the euro zone financial crisis across the continent.

“At this time of a united Europe, I consider this to be a good decision. At a time of a euro crisis one or two countries should not be forced to invest in infrastructure projects but instead existing structures should be used,” he said.

Fernando Gomes, head of the Portuguese Football Federation FPF.L, praised the idea and said he hoped UEFA would take Portugal into consideration for hosting matches given that they already had infrastructure in place after Euro 2004.

“We congratulate them on the idea. In a period of great financial difficulties there is no doubt that this idea is welcome,” said Gomes.

“This decision gives Portugal the opportunity to welcome Euro 2020 matches in one city or another or in one stadium or another that we built for Euro 2004. We are sure UEFA recognises the FPF’s capacity to organise big events and I am sure they will take us into consideration.”

German Football Association DFB.L president Wolfgang Niersbach joined in with the positive feedback and said his country would bid with one city.

“We expected such a...decision and we think it is an absolutely positive one. It is now the job of the federations commission, of which I am also part, to further develop the 2020 concept,” said Niersbach.

“One thing I can say today is that we will be bidding with one German city.”

FINAL INTEREST

England and Scotland have expressed interest in hosting matches, with the FA proposing Wembley Stadium in London as a potential venue for the final though they will face competition from Scotland.

“We would be interested in the final but we first have to find out UEFA’s minimum criteria for capacity,” said Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan.

Scotland boasts the 60,000-plus-seater Celtic Park and the 50,000-plus Ibrox and Hampden Park stadiums in Glasgow though they are small in comparison to Wembley’s capacity of more than 80,000.

Former England international midfielder Owen Hargreaves told BBC Radio Five Live he was a big fan of UEFA’s plan.

“I think it’s a great idea, I‘m surprised why they haven’t come up with it earlier,” said the 31-year-old.

”Europe is an easily accessible place, with flights of one or two hours, compared to the World Cup in a place like the USA, where it is six hours from one side to the other.

“There’s a lot of cheap flights these days, they could get the airlines involved.” (Additional reporting by Karolos Grohmann and Daniel Alvarenga, Editing by Clare Fallon)